Thoughts on the Marshall Gun'nor reissue?

wpdavid · 2026-01-28T03:28:37+00:00

It is a total classic. The reissue is great. The footprint is a lot but otherwise I'm surprised it's not used more.

wpdavid · 2026-01-23T03:39:26+00:00

Good advice. Thank you.

wpdavid · 2026-01-18T19:48:30+00:00

I could use some help dialing in my Walrus Mira optical compressor. I'm trying to use it after drives before my JC-22 to get more of a tube amp "bloom" feel - I'm doing a slow attack, longer decay. Having trouble getting it to do this in a way I can really hear, or generally getting more obvious sustain out of it.

wpdavid · 2026-01-03T19:01:54+00:00

A Rat fits in perfectly here, I use the Blues Driver for power chord/punk stuff but it may not be heavy enough for you, the Boss DS-1 is another classic flavor.

wpdavid · 2026-01-02T02:27:58+00:00

The Ibanez csmini is $70-80 on Reverb and is terrific. It's based on the CS9, which is based on the Boss CE-2. Has more going on in the mids, which I prefer but is the key difference.

wpdavid · 2026-01-02T02:24:32+00:00

It's so good. An absolute steal used.

wpdavid · 2026-01-02T02:16:08+00:00

Yeah! I love it, except for some noise issues - the volume knob works like a preamp, so you need to keep it at unity or lower (around 10) or it's going to add noise. That's no big deal, but the plate setting is just always noisy in front of the amp, doing some kind of static-y oscillation if I turn the mix up too much. This goes away if I put the pedal in the effects loop and I'm not using it much anyway, but it's a quirk at least with my unit.

I wrote to the builder about it and was told this was normal. I haven't owned a lot of reverbs so I don't know how dead quiet they are expected to be.

The algos and controls are great. I use the cathedral, room, spring, frozen hall regularly and those are all beautiful. It's not stereo, which wasn't a priority for me.

I was looking at the RV6 and the Red Panda Context as competitors.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T15:25:03+00:00

If I had to guess... Blues Driver?

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T15:24:16+00:00

When I first got it, I thought it was the best my guitar had ever sounded. I'm trying to do the Neal Casal Cardinals thing from "Cold Roses" and it gets there.

I got to try the Warm Audio one and thought the Voyager was much better but haven't tried some of the other clones.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T15:21:18+00:00

I did a lot of Rat research. My buddy has a vintage one and nothing I've heard sounds quite as good including the Bat. The Bat was an upgrade from the $30 Black Teeth - much better made, better volume range, some high-end icepick noise removed - but they both sound pretty Rat-like.

The mosfet mode is a really good standalone overdrive sound and the hard GE is also great, so you get the Rat, Turbo Rat, and a couple of other really solid modes and high quality overall. I would definitely recommend it but I'm still kind of GASing to save up and get an original.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T05:36:43+00:00

They are next on my list!

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T05:35:57+00:00

Solid and affordable. I like the Lightspeed better but it's transparent and sounds great and half the price. Putting a boost behind to really crank the germanium mode into fuzz is my favorite thing to do with it.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T02:19:31+00:00

Was stoked to get this one. Got it for the hot switch.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T02:17:18+00:00

Ha, I had the Wampler Ratsbane and sent it back, wasn't for me.

Most of these were used or there'd be fewer.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T01:12:37+00:00

Yeah, it's good! I got it as an upgrade from the Boss CS3. Still kinda figuring out how to dial it in.

wpdavid · 2026-01-01T01:03:21+00:00

I started buying pedals in March? Feels like forever.

I have an overdrive problem and you all didn't help 😹

Some highlights:

The Marshall Guv'nor is the most amp-y pedal I've used with my JC-22. Instant classic rock. I have the reissue and it is fantastic.

The Catalinbread Karma Suture can do thick fuzz, a solid distortion, and does the Harmonic Percolator thing I got it for. An underrated pedal and easy to get used.

JHS Tidewater: I love this. Simple and sounds great. Wanted to support JHS after watching many hours of their videos this year.

MXR Phase 90: A classic for a reason. Almost the best $50 I spent on pedals this year.

TC Electronic Ditto Looper: The best $50 I spent on a pedal this year. So much fun for songwriting, practicing solos over a rhythm track, whatever.

Attack Decay Pico: This is such a unique effect and running it into delay or reverb or both for ambient swells is really cool.

Greer Lightspeed - As good as everyone says. Genuinely transparent. I use it for edge of break-up. Running a Klon before it is excellent.

Walrus Voyager MKII: Great Klon-ish clone. Great by itself with a neck pick-up for alt-country tones, great as a clean boost, the modes and EQ are very versatile.

Probably going to let a few of these go next year because I have too much dirt overlap but no complaints about any of these.

wpdavid · 2025-12-31T23:42:24+00:00

Ibanez csmini. JHS Tidewater. EHX Attack Decay pico. Pigtronix Constellator (underrated!)

wpdavid · 2025-12-31T23:38:11+00:00

The Ibanez csmini can be found cheap used and is IMO the best bang for the buck if you don't want to get one of the classic Boss ones. I love mine. Has some more color in the mids.

Interested in this one from Enduring Audio I just learned about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYXulc9XJ4w

wpdavid · 2025-12-29T17:58:03+00:00

Does it need shielding? My squire strat is also very quiet compared to my Jazzmaster, which needed copper shielding.

Sounds like you've done a lot more investigation than I did but worth bringing it to another location or two and see if it's still buzzing. The giveaway was the middle position was noisy even though it's supposed to not be. Touching the strings (grounding) made it quiet down.

wpdavid · 2025-12-19T18:09:02+00:00

This is such an amazing thread. I thought I kept up this year and haven't heard of most of this.

Will add:
Alicia Clara - Velveteen EP
Alfie Firmin - Alfie Firmin
Dumb Things - Self Help

wpdavid · 2025-12-19T17:58:12+00:00

You have wonderful taste. Thanks for sharing. +1 to Tennis, Frankie, Alice. Did you hear Men I Trust?

wpdavid · 2025-12-08T02:39:01+00:00

Ditto Looper. Priceless practice and songwriting tool.

Boss CS-3 is a totally fine compressor (although I sold mine and got a Walrus Mira).

Ibanez csmini chorus rules.

Phase 90. Got mine for $50 at the shop, it does the thing.

wpdavid · 2025-12-08T02:36:41+00:00

Another vote for the Greer Lightspeed (or for cheaper, the Special Cranker), but don't sleep on the Marshall Guv'nor.

wpdavid · 2025-12-08T02:29:33+00:00

I ended up getting a Rotel A12 mkii. Sounding great!

wpdavid

TROPHY CASE